Chapter 2 — Red Rope Binds Fortune

“This lock is mine.” Tham Lenh Nghi's face immediately turned pale. She looked at her mother, but her mother only stared at me: "Go back." "This lock was given to me by my great-grandmother, with my name engraved on the back." I said: "She is wearing my lock, holding my bell, standing here accepting her old relationship with the Marquis Palace. Mother, aren't you afraid that lies cannot be told completely?" Ma Ma Marquis Palace frowned slightly. Mother's face darkened: "Tomorrow your sister gets married, do you have to make trouble in front of outsiders?" "I just want to hear the truth." "Tell the truth?" Mother took a step closer, lowering her voice very low: "Your sister's health is weak, wearing your clothes can save her life. If your maternal grandmother was still alive, she would also prioritize taking care of her." My maternal grandmother passed away when I was six years old. The last time she hugged me, she just said: "You don't need to be a blessing to anyone, you just need to be safe." At that time, my mother also stood by the bed. Tham Lenh Nghi cried as he took off the lock: "Sister, if you want, I will give it back to you now." As soon as her hand touched the lock, her mother held her wrist tightly. "Wear it properly." The maqui of the house took a half step forward: "Lady Shen, in the past, I once met the Tham family's young lady at Thanh Dan Pagoda, and only said that the child had a bell on her wrist and a mole on her forehead. Today, Now that I heard the eldest lady say that, is there some misunderstanding?" Mother did not panic. "Don't you know, Tri Dan has been stubborn since childhood? When my sister was seriously ill, the clothes on her body were given to her to wear for a few days, and from then on she always remembered them. Her childish temperament cannot be changed when she is older." After saying that, she looked at me: "Aren't you going to apologize to mom yet?" I just looked at Tham Lenh. Nghi: "You said you didn't know, then why did you agree to return the bell to me last night?" Tham Lenh Nghi's lips trembled. Mother's hand squeezed her wrist tightly. "Perhaps you heard wrong." Shen Lenh Nghi lowered his eyes: "Last night I only said that if you like it, another day I will have someone make an identical one for you." The front yard was so quiet that only the sound of the wind could be heard. Mother called someone to take me back. The two ladies each held one of my arms. Ma Ma Marquis did not stop, just looked at me deeply. His eyes stopped at the corner of my forehead. When I was dragged back to Tieu Phuc Duong, Tham Lenh Nghi's silver bell rang again. Jingle. It's like it's right next to my ear. Before Mama Trieu locked the door, I kicked over the copper pot. She stepped back in fear: "Miss, don't make trouble anymore. Today you are angry, if you really punish me, no one can protect you." I asked: "For all these years, has anyone protected me?" Mama Trieu opened her mouth but couldn't say a word. The lock is reinstalled. I sat on the ground, looking at that eternal lamp. Under the lamp base is a green brick, the corner of the brick looks newer than the others. Last year, my mother ordered someone to replace it, saying the old brick was cracked and could not keep its good fortune. I used the tip of the hairpin to pick up the ash and dust in the brick crack little by little. When my fingertips ached, the brick finally loosened. Beneath is hidden a thin wooden box. The wooden box has no lock, only wrapped with three turns of red string. We took off the strap and placed a notebook inside. On the cover were written two words: "Phuc Luc." The handwriting was neat, it was the mother's handwriting. I opened the first page. "The eldest daughter is full month old, the monk Tinh Tu of Thanh Dan Pagoda said that she has a blessed mole on her forehead, suitable to be raised in a quiet place, rarely exposed to wind." The second page. "The second lady cried endlessly at night, cut off an inch of the eldest daughter's bloody hair, pressed it under the pillow, the night was peaceful." Flip later. "Eldest daughter's silver bell, follow the second daughter to the temple to complete vows, suitable for wearing for three years." "One drop

The eldest daughter's blood, dotted on the eldest daughter's primer." "The red paper of the eldest daughter's birthday, pressed under the second daughter's stove." "The eldest daughter's jade pendant, hung above the second daughter's bed, to comfort her." "The eldest daughter copied seven sutras, gave them to the eldest son to participate in the incense offering." "The eldest daughter's long-life lock, changed the pattern, took the second daughter with her when discussing marriage." "The eldest daughter's scarf, sew it onto the lining of the robe rack." "Take three drops of blood from the palm of the eldest daughter, dab it on the second lady's robe rack, suitable for marriage." My finger stopped on the last line. There was another sentence behind. "After the event is completed, seal Tieu Phuc Duong, the lights must not be turned off." 4 Half a month ago, a worker in the yard came to measure the doors and windows. At that time, I thought that after my sister got married, Tieu Phuc Duong would be renovated. It turns out it was to seal the door. Outside, the sound of gongs and drums came in. Today, the Tham family was bustling. No one cared that there was a brick missing in Tieu Phuc Duong. When dusk fell, footsteps were heard outside the door. This time, the person coming was brother Tham Hoai Canh, who did not let anyone open the door.